Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-06-11
MapkIeham'S Mistake.

OF the .earCl. Il lllllfEidliy op0nhi'S
he had been successful, but for all
that period of time lie had been
literally homeless. Now he was
proceeding to a home OF his own.
ssThe first road to the left be-
yontl the bridge" mused Mr.. nj 'rk-
ieham to himself, "and the first
house you come to is The one. The
directions are plain ehougl, | am
snre."
And he repocketed his memoran-
m.book, wherein MIR. Moses
Gibbs, the house agent, had joEted
down ,sundry items regarding his
new purchase, and once more re-
sumed his plod.ling way.
Hugh Markleham had clear ha-
eel ewes, a proiusion of dark hair
and set of dazzling white teotli
while his figure was strlight and
stalwars as that OF Il backwoods-
man9
lii ,aused half hesitatlngly in
81 a low wicket gate, hanging
by one hinge from which a shrub
grown path wound up through un-
trimmed woods to u one-story
dwelling.
"Nonsense!p he mnttered to him
self; sit can't be that shed of a
place. "a desirable COTTAGE was
what Gibbs said, situated in the
midst OF charming grounds And,
by Jupiter, this is the very spot!"
He swung open tue gildetl iron
gate OF a pretty little incloSure,
where the graveled paths shone
Whitley in the twilight, and ever
greens skirted the path like tall
old monks wrapped in green serge
cloaks. Here and there a rustic
seat OF twisted cedar boughs stood
beneath the leafess branches of
beyond-a low. eaved, picturesque
affair, with verandas on every side
Exactly met our hero's precon-
ceived ideas of the desirable coun
try residence" painted in such
glowing terms by "Moses Gibbs,
Esq, real estate and insurance
agent"
':Yes, yes," soliloquized Mr..
Markleham, as he strobe up the
path, 81 shall be as comfortable as
possible here. l always did fancy
sylvan solitulcs, and-But what's
this7 a fire burning, as l live!
Well, this is thoughtful OF Gibbs"
His cuuntenance expanded into
broad smiles as he pushed open
the door and entereda- pretty room
!! on thu, lett OF the main entrance
- rpetedin green Brussels and
curEined to correspond, while a
glowing fire of anthracite coal cast
rudy reflections through tho whole
room, and u cushioned armchair
stood. close to the velvet rug.
"Gibbs told me there was some
furniture in the house, and an old
woman left in CHARGE" thought
Markleham, sitting down IN the
easy chair, and expanding his
chilled fingers TO the cherry blaze;
"but l hadn't any idea ofsuch snug
quarters as this. We'll, well, there
is something in home of ones
OWL, after all. Tinted walls-plants
OH stand with a tea rose in
bloom And he paused an in
stant to snuff mp the subtle fra
grarce exhaled by the one royal
blossom, as it nodded OH its slen-
der STEM. Sand L declare, news
papers and books on the table!
e4ala4 is u jewel among men! He
}pa Is Sla9 dar lA ths nE tS aaHa
mc.resl in love with it at first
sighN''
MrAMarkleham leaned luxurious
~ back among the cushions, and,
strangely enough, his thoughts
went back to ten years ago, to the
days when he was a preux cheval-
Ter among the pretty girls i'll Car
ristown.
'Psllawl" he CALCULATED aloud
"What true saying it is that there
is no fool like an old fool! | do be
lieve there's something suggestive
of matrimOny in this comfortable
little room, with the rose, and the
pink walls, and the freight! Why.
I'm over forty, if Pm u dayw
AS Mr.. Malkleham sat there,
basking in the warmth aud cozi
ness OF the scene, tue door OF an
adjoining room opened and two
ladies came in, their dimpled faces
glowing with the frosty wind, aBM
their eyes sparkling like four stars
that had somehow wandered
from TIER sidereal spheres, and ta-
Ken refuge observation-disclosures lash
"WI5y, Lizzie! cried the shorter
one, stopping suddenly in the very
act offaying her Embroidered hood
on the table, there is someone in
the parlor!"
aNonsense!" said lizzie, who, al.
though she was eight or nine and
twenty, was exceedingly rosy and
fair to look upon, with a ripe red
berry Of month, and little saucy
nose Slightly turned up at the ex-
tszs.ne point"The Cit and the
cricket seulily be there; but who on